JP5844481B2 - Method, system, and apparatus for managing multimedia QoE in a transport independent manner - Google Patents

Description

  The field of the invention is session-based multimedia services, and more particularly QoE (quality) for session-based multimedia services over networks based on the Internet Protocol (IP) including the Internet. of experience).

  Emerging highly desired applications and services require aggressive quality of experience (QoE) management to reduce customer churn and improve the experience. Schemes based on traditional passive quality of service (QoS) to improve the user experience would not be acceptable due to slow response times and requirements that allocate excessive overhead.

  Currently used QoE management technologies include the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) protocol and transport layer (ISO 7-layer OSI model) such as latency / delay, jitter / delay variation, and packet loss. Used for a mechanism that uses parameter QoS management.

  This mechanism used to monitor packet delay, jitter, and loss is generally based on the monitoring layer and / or the incorporation of messages that may need to be exchanged between the client and server or between communication peers. Requires additional overhead above.

  Bandwidth pre-allocation and oversupply may be used to maintain QoE. This resource pre-allocation and over-supply often results in under-utilization of resources, which is unacceptable today with the goal of cost-effective network operations.

  Therefore, an environment that actively deploys to an endpoint based on a mechanism using the dynamic characteristics of network transport would be advantageous. As a result, the session will achieve QoE that exceeds the expected management regime without using excessive transport resources. These mechanisms take advantage of the dynamic characteristics of the transport as input and tailor the endpoint presentation to effectively improve the expected QoE.

  Aspects of the invention (a) do not incur any overhead in the transport network, (b) utilize virtualization at the endpoint, and (c) balance look-ahead / lookback and error correction / concealment By using it in combination, it overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages.

One aspect is a method for adapting virtualized resources for real-time multimedia session delivery to user terminals. Based on the resource parameter (setting of resource requirement specification), the user terminal sets the resource requirement specification for real-time multimedia session delivery. The user terminal allocates resources according to the setting of this resource requirement specification. The user terminal continuously determines whether the allocated resources are sufficient for the requested QoE. If the resources allocated at the user terminal are not sufficient, resources based on the resource allocation management (MRD) / resource pre-positioning policy (RPP) database are used to maintain the requested QoE. By procuring resources, the allocated resources are adjusted. Resource parameters may include historical trends of allocated resources, distribution trends of current resources, optimization criteria, traffic signature generation, etc. in the delivery of audio, video, or text communications, or combinations thereof.

It is a high-level block diagram of open loop QoE management. It is a figure which shows the list | wrist of the characteristic / function requested | required with the toolkit for open loop QoE management. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a multilayer elastic virtualization buffer block for open loop QoE management. It is the schematic which showed sticking of the transport rate. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating dynamic coordination of virtualized resources between sub-sessions (audio, video, text / messaging, etc.). FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating dynamic coordination of virtualized resources between sub-sessions (audio, video, text / messaging, etc.). It is the schematic which shows the usage of the dynamic recognition of a traffic signature, and resource optimization.

  Aspects of the present invention provide (a) no overhead in the transport network, (b) use virtualization at the endpoint, and (c) a balanced combination of look ahead / lookback and error correction / concealment To overcome the shortcomings associated with performing real-time delivery of multimedia sessions.

  Once a session starts with a specific transmission bandwidth, one of the target endpoints maintains a constant quality of experience (QoE) regardless of session bandwidth variations. Intelligence exists at the endpoint or user terminal, and the use of virtualization makes the implementation technically feasible.

  One of the mechanisms utilized in aspects of the present invention is based on high-end video encoder / decoders in a network (distributed) environment where high performance and self-adaptiveness are generally used. For example, one of the mechanisms is based on the principle of automatic error correction including multi-layer coding and error concealment. Another mechanism is the adaptation of the rate of information / packets supplied to the rendering device's buffer. This is based on a video trick mode similar to the added value features / functions of a VCR or video cassette recorder. Video trick mode allows slow or fast movement (forwarding and rewinding) of session information based on receipt of information / packets from storage (but in this case a transport network).

  Another feature is the pre-positioning of elements in a multimedia session with the goal of maintaining or exceeding the target quality of the QoE parameters, including dynamic adjustment of resources between entities. For example, resources used to maintain the video frame rate and pixel resolution of a session may be exchanged for audio and messaging resources used in a portion of the same session.

  Another feature is the ability to emulate perceptual parameters that utilize on-demand based resources (real or virtual) at the endpoint. This may include prior corrections regarding the quality of bandwidth and transmission degradation (eg concealment of perceived damage caused by instantaneous bandwidth reduction and transmission of error / fragmented information). For example, (a) audio type (mono, stereo, surround, etc.) adjustment and volume adjustment may be more acceptable than picture frame freeze or fragmentation, and (b) text / message delivery in an instant message window. A little more delay can be tolerated than complete silence in audio, etc.

  FIG. 1 is a high level block diagram of an open loop QoE management mechanism. The agent of QoE management can be physical or virtual, and it exists in both the device (user terminal) and the access network.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating features / functions as a configuration of a tool kit for open loop QoE according to an aspect of the present invention. This list includes:
-Multilayer elastic virtualization buffer stack-Error correction and concealment-Transport rate pasting (clinging)
• Reassign endpoint resources (between audio, video, messaging, etc.)
• Depth adaptation • Virtualized display • Fast / slow, look ahead / reverse.

FIG. 3 shows a diagram illustrating a multilayer elastic virtualization buffer block for open loop QoE management. Buffer virtualization effectively increases the available buffers beyond the actual physical availability. This can be achieved, for example, by allocating more than the actual physical buffer / memory chunks so that more memory blocks can actually be used temporarily during process execution / operations. Under the guidance of resource allocation policy based on the constant management of constant QoE, these buffer blocks provide the following functions:
Error correction and concealment Endpoint resource reallocation (between audio, video, messaging, etc.)
• Depth adaptation • Fast / slow, look ahead / reverse for transmission impairment mitigation.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram representing transport rate sticking (or attachment) when using the open loop rate adjustment method during periods of significant network transport congestion / damage. This method uses a multi-layer virtualized buffer replenishment and sweeping mechanism with the sole purpose of maintaining a constant QoE.

  FIG. 5a is a schematic diagram illustrating the dynamic coordination of virtualized resources between sub-sessions (audio, video, text / messaging, etc.). In order to maintain a constant QoE through soft switching / routing between different types of sessions (audio, video, messaging, etc.), resource pre-positioning policy (RPP), and MRD (Management) of Resources Distribution), ie resource allocation management (resources: process, memory, DSP, etc.) work in unison. In FIG. 5b, a flowchart is presented for dynamically adjusting virtualized resources between sub-sessions (audio, video, text / messaging, etc.). In this algorithm, both history and expected (or planned) resource utilization / requirement profiles maintain a constant QoE for ongoing audio, video, and text message exchange sessions. Used for.

  The use of dynamically recognized traffic signatures and other criteria for optimizing resources are used for media stream allocation to deliver acceptable QoE. This is illustrated in FIG.

  It will be appreciated that the methods and systems of the present invention are implemented using machines and devices including simple or complex computers. Furthermore, the architectures and methods described above can be stored on some or all of the machine-readable media forms. For example, the operations of the present invention may be stored on a machine-readable medium such as a magnetic disk or an optical disk accessible by a disk drive (or computer readable media drive). Alternatively, the logic to perform the operations as described above may be a separate hardware component such as a large scale integrated circuit (LSI), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), firmware such as an electrically erasable ROM (EEPROM), And may be implemented in additional computer and / or machine readable media. Implementations of certain embodiments can further take the form of web implementations, machine implementations including computer software.

  While embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that further modifications can be made without departing from the inventive concepts described herein. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the spirit of the following claims.

Claims (18)

A method for adapting virtualized resources for real-time multimedia session delivery to a user terminal, comprising:
Setting resource requirement specifications at the user terminal for real-time multimedia session delivery based on resource parameters;
Allocating resources at the user terminal according to the setting of the resource requirement specification;
Determining at the user terminal whether the allocated resource is sufficient for a requested quality of experience (QoE);
If the allocated resources are not sufficient, resources are procured based on a resource allocation management (MRD) / resource pre-location policy (RPP) database and allocated at the user terminal to maintain the required QoE. Adjusting the resource . The method of claim 1, wherein the resource parameters include a traffic signature and optimization criteria associated with the requested QoE. The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the adjusting step includes the use of a virtualized buffer block. The method of claim 3, wherein the adjusting step further comprises adapting a rate of supplying multimedia information to the buffer block of the user terminal. 5. A method according to claim 3 or claim 4 , wherein the adjusting step further comprises adjusting the audio type of the multimedia session. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the adjusting step includes a delay in delivery of a text message to the user terminal. A system for adapting virtualized resources for real-time multimedia session delivery to user terminals,
The user terminal is
Set resource requirement specifications at the user terminal for real-time multimedia session delivery based on resource parameters;
Allocate resources in accordance with the setting of the resource required specifications,
It is determined whether the allocated resource is sufficient for a requested quality of experience (QoE), and if the allocated resource is not sufficient, a resource allocation management (MRD) / resource is maintained to maintain the requested QoE. A system for procuring resources based on a pre-placement policy (RPP) database and adjusting the allocated resources . The system of claim 7, wherein the resource parameters include a traffic signature and optimization criteria associated with the requested QoE. The system according to claim 7 or 8 , wherein the user terminal is further configured to use a virtualized buffer block. The system of claim 9, wherein the user terminal is further configured to adapt a rate of supplying multimedia information to the buffer block of the user terminal. The system according to claim 9 or 10 , wherein the user terminal is further configured to adjust an audio type of the multimedia session. The system according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the user terminal is further configured to delay delivery of a text message to the user terminal. An apparatus for adapting virtualized resources for real-time multimedia session delivery to a user terminal,
Means for setting a resource requirement specification at the user terminal for real-time multimedia session delivery based on resource parameters;
Means for allocating resources in accordance with the setting of the resource requirement specification in the user terminal;
Means for determining at the user terminal whether the allocated resource is sufficient for a requested quality of experience (QoE);
If the allocated resources are not sufficient, resources are procured based on a resource allocation management (MRD) / resource pre-location policy (RPP) database and allocated at the user terminal to maintain the required QoE. Means for coordinating said resources . The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the resource parameters include a traffic signature and optimization criteria associated with the requested QoE. 15. An apparatus according to claim 13 or claim 14 , wherein the means for adjusting includes means for utilizing a virtualized buffer block. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for adjusting includes means for adapting a rate at which multimedia information is supplied to the buffer block of the user terminal. The apparatus of claim 15 or 16 , wherein the means for adjusting includes means for adjusting an audio type of the multimedia session. The apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 17 , wherein the means for adjusting includes means for delaying delivery of a text message to the user terminal.